JR Clinic Journey

November 19, 2014Posted inJR, Missouri Fox Trotter
JR’S CLINIC JOURNEY At official yearling status…exactly one year of age, JR attended his first clinic at Pine Dell. It was his first time to ride in a trailer by himself, to be in a barn, and to be in an indoor arena. He was just a LITTLE upset when we arrived at Pine Dell. I heard a lot of yearling whinny during the first part of the day…most of it right in my ear. BUT, he did just great! He had the least problems of any horse in the…

Cisco is a Left Handed Trailer Loading Horse

November 10, 2014Posted inCISCO, Missouri Fox Trotter
I can lead Cisco into trailer just fine.  He follows me.  When I turn to leave him in the trailer, he gets a little less confident.  Trailers are not a horse's most favorite place. Early on in our relationship, Cisco  learned how to load in the trailer with me outside, sending him in.  I park him at the trailer, pick up my left hand and send him in.  We had quite a time about that the first couple of times.  He goes in but is still uneasy about staying in…

Five Days with Cisco

November 8, 2014Posted inCISCO, Missouri Fox Trotter
Five Day Natural Horsemanship Clinic at First Step Farm in St. Louis Cisco and I left on Friday noonish to get to destination clinic near Eureka, Missouri.  It takes 4.5 hours to get there.  I don't think Cisco has ever been in a trailer that long. First Step Farm is in the mountains southwest of St. Louis.  The roads are narrow and wind around rock formations.  We were in Eureka and when a truck and big horse trailer pulled ahead of me into my road.  Interesting...the trailer made the same…

Cisco Futurity – First Trail Ride

September 29, 2014Posted inCISCO, Miscellaneous, Missouri Fox Trotter
I still remember the difficult stuff when first starting a horse on the trails.  Lucky Star discovered that he hated muddy gullies , so he tried to walk on the sides of the steep gully, or climb the gulley and get stuck in the trees on the top.  Then I remember the stopping at the water crossing and the eventual jumping of the water crossing.  I remember Lucky casting back and forth on the trail trying to find the right grove.  I remember running down the steep rocky hills, screeching…

Cisco Futurity -What the Heck Am I Studying to Be?

September 25, 2014Posted inCISCO, Missouri Fox Trotter
Cisco is destined to be a versatility horse because that is what I love best in the show world.  Cisco has the latent talent to be a performance horse. I also show in certain classes in the Ranch Horse Events.  I can show at the Kansas City Pony Express shows in the "rail" classes.  People have asked...what are versatility, performance and ranch horse show events?  I'm here to tell you the great opportunities we have in the fox trotter horse shows.  I'm not getting into a discussion of all the…

Cisco Futurity – Back in Time

September 24, 2014Posted inCISCO, Missouri Fox Trotter
Cisco's birth mothers recorded his birth, recorded him being imprinted and recorded his first steps and nursing.  When they found out I had gained possession of Cisco, they had the recording made into a DVD.  I received the DVD a couple of days ago and have been watching it. I feel like I was there when the cute little bundle of energy was born.  I was there when he came out of the sack.  I joined his imprinting.  I rooted for his struggle to stand and remain standing.  He was…